When P.T. Barnum asked Phillip if he wanted to join the circus, Phillip would've instantly said yes, except for one minor problem.

That problem was his parents.

Ever since he started school, with his father homeschooling him, he didn't go out of the house much, not that he wanted to. He had no friends, other than his cats, Amoeba and Penelope. All the other kids his age thought he was stuck-up and arrogant, even though he wasn't. However, his parents, especially his father, were.

Phillip was also a very smart child, but he hated school. Reflecting back, he supposed that was because of his father, who believed many things about children.

Notably:

1. That they should be seen and not heard.

2. That they should behave properly at all times.

3. That they should be punished for any misdemeanor.

Needless to say, Phillip did not agree with these rules set down by his father, but was obligated to follow them lest he 'become a burden and lower [the Carlyles'] social status,' in his father's words. Since Phillip didn't want to disappoint his parents, he tried his best to follow their rules. However, his father was easily angered by Phillip's honest mistakes and punished him unnecessarily for the smallest faults.

No wonder, then, that Phillip's life was miserable and he wanted to escape.